When working with an existing building it may be difficult to work with existing elements of the building as they may be concealed behind wall covering or information about them may be otherwise unavailable. A three dimensional model may have been used to design the building before construction and a wealth of information about the components used to construct the building, their location and methods used to install them may be available in that model. Such a model may include various levels of detail, ranging from a simple rendering of the appearance of a building to a complex model including detailed descriptions of all components included in a construction project including wiring and pipes inside walls or Mechanical Electrical and Plumbing (MEP). A model of a building or construction projects may include various levels of detail for MEP information. A model may include information about the types of end-points, such as vent, electrical outlet and sink, and information about how they are connected. A more detailed model may include detailed three dimensional information about all aspects of an MEP system, including specific part numbers and a complete spatial model of all connecting wires, ducts, pipes and other components. Furthermore, parts of the building may have been scanned using a laser scannet to obtain further information about the exact position of components as they were installed.
Embodiments of the present invention provide means for using the available three dimensional model information to survey an existing building.